Review of Home Original Motion Picture Score

Home is the latest animated feature from Dreamworks. Lorne Balfe is the composer on the score here, along with Stargate! Wow this film and its music is wonderfully refreshing! So here’s my thoughts on the score and the film.

Home is one of those RARE animated films these days that I have really latched onto. Since its release I’ve seen the film 6 different times. Three of those times were in preparation to write this review. Lorne Balfe is not a name I’ve heard of until this film’s release. Looking at his credits….. the man has done a lot of composing! He has worked on the Skylanders franchise, Terminator Genisys, and Assassins Creed games as well. The man is a Grammy Award winning composer, and I’m really surprised I have not heard of him until recently. Over the past three weeks off and on I’ve had the score to Home blaring through my headphones. So that I could have every note memorized. Plus I really just love Lorne Balfe’s score. As I was watching the film, what surprised me is how well the score, and the songs sung by Rihanna melded together to make one fluid musical score. The film stars Rihanna, Jim Parsons, Steve Martin, and Jennifer Lopez in the main roles. When I had first heard about Home… I was like ooohhh Sheldon Cooper but animated!!! The trailers really had me ready for this film. Home is about an alien race called the Boov. These little guys and gals are always running away from their problems. Because that’s what Captain Smek had taught them while he was their leader. Jim Parsons rocks as the lead character named “Oh”! Sadly that’s not really his name….. that’s just what all the other Boov say when he is around. The film has a wonderful message of when you make mistakes it helps you grow as a person, or alien… whatever.

“Can I com into the out Now?”

We start off with Track 1: “Symphony In Oh” this track opens up slowly and builds upon its momentum. It then travels into being a fun upbeat tempo song. Overall the main theme for the character of Oh. I love the way the composer has the music build up and then slow down… This is a trend throughout the song. Basically it is like highs and lows in a valley. The song’s energy is infectious. I could listen to this one track over and over again. In Track 2: “Gratuity’s Apartment” this has a murder mystery feel to me. It includes really suspenseful tones. It then has this really cool horn sound in the middle. I just love how Balfe and Stargate have put this music together. Track 3: “Saying the Sorry” is up next. This track some great emotional resonance in the musical tones. Well for the first 1 minute and 10 seconds, after that it gets that upbeat tempo again. Which really works with the scene that this track is up against in the film. With Track 4: “Two Fugitives” Balfe and Stargate compose chase music unlike I’ve ever heard before!!! Track 5: “Come Into the Out Now” builds into this wonderful anthem of a theme. Before we even reach the first minute within the track we get this high-octane action music. As we had with track 4 this also feels like great chase music. The interesting quality to this score so far is how Balfe incorporates the emotional tones of the mus with the high paced action. Track 6: “Smek Down” is a deep rooted intense piece of music. I wouldn’t say it was chase music, it more feels like hey the hero has arrived!

“Fetch me my inhaler!”

Even in this day and age Steve Martin can still bring the funny. No matter if it is him voicing a character or him acting out in live action. The man is still so damn funny. I loved Captain Smek and his zany ideas!!! Track 7: “Patched-In” is when Oh and Tip get patched into the Boov systems. This track might be my second favorite on the score besides track 1. It has an evolution of sound, from mysterious tones, to high action, and even a bit of darkness to it. I’m gonna skip track 8, and move straight to track 9: “Sad-Mad” because this is where you’ll hear all the emotion in the film between Tip and Oh. The rest of the score is high action mixed with emotion, but this track is all emotion. It is from the scene where Oh dives into the ocean to cool down, and he leaves Tip all alone. We see and hear within this track how their friendship grows. Track 10: “Running Towards the Danger” is a heroic theme for Oh and even the rest of the Boov as well. The reason I say this is because Oh realizes that the Boov are the bad guys, they stole….. well Smek stole the Gorg’s rock. So Oh steps up and becomes the hero! Track 13: “Frolicking In Paris” is the end of the film, and it’s let’s all have a party! The danger has passed Boov and Gorg alike are now friends, and everyone can come to Oh’s warming of house party. This final track on the Hom score is very well done, and I really dig how upbeat it is. I know I’ve said that most of this score is upbeat. Which it is, but this final track feels as if the entirety of the story has been resolved nicely. Really glad I found this score by Lorne Balfe and Stargate!

THE ONLY THING MISSING FROM THE SCORE THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BE THERE IS THE SLUSHIOUS THEME!!!

Total Disc Time: 40:00

Final Thoughts

Home is a wonderful animated film for 2015, and Lorne Balfe along with Stargate compose the music so well. This score is by far one of my favorites of the year. I found out through Lorne Balfe himself via twitter that he even puts up unreleased tracks from the film. Stuff that was in the film, but missed getting on the score. You can find the unreleased tracks HERE! Welcome to happy humans town!

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Review Overview

REALLY LIKED IT!!

CAN I COME INTO THE OUT NOW?

Lorne Balfe has done an amazing job crafting a fun energetic score for Dreamworks' film Home. If you loved the movie, you'll love the score!!!

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